Collating machine



Sept. 5, 1961 L. c. PEARCE 2,998,972

COLLATING MACHINE Filed Sept. 20, 1955 17 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR. Zen 1's C. Pearce Sept. 5, 1961 c. PEARCE COLLATING MACHINE l7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 20, 1955 IN VEN TOR. Len 11s C- Pearce BY lwa, & $7M Alforr) 25 5 Sept. 5, 1961 L. c. PEARCE 2,998,972

COLLATING MACHINE Filed Sept. 20, 1955 17 Sheets-Sheet 3 lllllll llll INVENTOR. [en/1'6 C- Pea/"Ce Sept. 5, 1961' c. PEARCE COLLATING MACHINE 17 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 20. 1955 NNW u u m W R INVENTOR. Zen 1's C Pearce Sept. 5, 1961 L. c. PEARCE 2,998,972

COLLATING MACHINE Filed Sept. 20, 1955 17 Sheets-Sheet 5 L INVENTOR.

v [en 11s C. Pearce FF 11 a /07/ /07 l BY Sept. 5, 1961 L. c. PEARCE 2,998,972

COLLATING MACHINE Filed Sept. 20, 1955 17 Sheets-Sheet 6 Fig. 124 L INVEN TOR. Zen 1's C. earce Sept. 5, 1961 L. c. PEARCE 2,998,972

COLLATING MACHINE Filed Sept. 20, 1955 17 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR. law/J C. Pearce BY /fi a 754/6406. cf $1M \/\J Afiorneys Sept. 5, 1961 L. c. PEARCE COLLATING MACHINE l7 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Sept. 20. 1955 Zen/1's C. Pearce Sept. 5, 1961 L. c. PEARCE COLLATING MACHINE Filed Sept. 20. 1955 f 9' I I22 i o o 7 LL Fig; 26 204 f6 17 Sheets-Sheet 10 IN V EN TOR.

Sept. 5, 1961 c. PEARCE 2,998,972

COLLATING MACHINE Filed Sept. 20, 1955 17 Sheets-Sheet 11 INVENTOR. Zen/1's C Pearce BY flaw 5 WWW Afiorn eys Sept. 5, 1961 c. PEARCE COLLATING MACHINE 17 Sheets-Sheet 12 Filed Sept. 20, 1955 IN VEN TOR.

Sept. 5, 1961 1.. c. PEARCE 2,998,972

COLLATING MACHINE Filed Sept. 20, 1955 17 Sheets-Sheet 14 O O O O O O Pew .362 1 53.52 Afiorneys Sept. 5, 1961 c. PEARCE 2,998,972

COLLATING MACHINE Filed Sept. 20, 1955 17 Sheets-Sheet 15 F, o s INVENTOR. Len/1's C. Pearce BY 64/ W 0 54440; 6 49/zW Afforneys Sept. 5, 1961 L. c. PEARCE 2,998,972

COLLATING MACHINE Filed Sept. 20, 1955 1 l7 Sheets-Sheet 17 A Horn eqs Patented Sept. 5, i961 ice 2,998,972 COLLATING MACHINE Lewis Pearce, Berea, Ohio, assignor to American (ire-gangs Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation Filed Sept. 20, 1955, Ser. No. 535,492 19 Claims. (Cl. 270--'58) This invention rel-ates to improvements in a sheet-handling machine using sheet pack advancing, sheet feeding and/or sheet gathering or collating mechanism, and more particularly to a machine for asscmblying greeting card assortment units.

An object of the present invention is to provide a machine especially adapted for assembling or collating greeting cards into assortment mixtures at maximum speed and with minimum damage to the greeting cards.

A fuither object of the present invention is to provide a machine providing suction engagement with one side of a sheet for lifting it olf a pack, gathering a plurality of these sheets together, and ejecting them from the machine with the opposite sides facing upwardly for proper display or orientation.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a machine for gathering folded sheets and having means to prevent interleaving of the folded sheets during the gathering process.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a sheet handling machine with a pack advancing mechanism having a slow and fast advance and adjustability for flexibility of operation.

A further object of the present invention is to provide means to compensate for variations in thickness across the face of an end sheet of a pack to be fed by a suction-type feeder.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a sheet gathering or collating machine having a valve for sequentially starting or stopping the suction to the sheet feeders in a plurality of packs on said machine so that each gathered sheet unit will be complete and have the same number of sheets therein.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a gathering means for receiving sheets at a loading station with one side up and turning the sheets over before they reach the discharge station thereof.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a gathering means, as set forth in the previous paragraph, with means for laterally shifting the sheets into a compact unit as they move from the loading to the discharge statlons.

A further object of the present invention is to provide for proper and complete transference of the sheet through the loading station regardless of the speed and/or intermittency of operation of said machine.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a sheet-handling machine characterized by its operating economy and efliciency, its strong and sturdy nature, and its ability to perform a multiplicity of desirable operations simultaneously.

Other features of this invention reside in the arrangement and design of the parts for carrying out their appropriate functions.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and description and the essential features will 'be set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view from the work side of the machine;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view from the drive side of the machine;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the gear layout in FIG. 2

2 for providing driving power to the operating components of the machine;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIG. 3 of the cams for controlling the suction-type sheet feeders;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of one'sheet feeding unit and of the sheet gathering mechanism in operation;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of one of the four vertically arranged pack advancing units in FIG. 1 with the view turned end for end;

FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional view through the rear roller of the pack advancing conveyor taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is sectional view taken along the line 9-9 of FIG. 6 showing the pack advancing ratchet wheel operatively engaged by both the slow and fast advancing pawls;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along the line 10-10 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 11 is a view taken along the line 11-11 of FIG. 6 showing the solenoid-operated mechanism for activating or deactivating the fast pack-advanced pawl;

FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of one of the pack advancing mechanisms looking upwardly from the bottom of FIG. 6;

FIG. 12a is a vertical sectional view taken along line 12a12a in FIG. 12 of one of the pack side guide;

FIG. 13 is a sectional view taken along the line 13-43 showing the gears and cams for causing pack advance;

FIG. 14 is an enlarged view of the upper right-hand portion of FIG. 12;

FIG. 15 is a vertical sectional View taken along the line 15-15 of FIG. 14 through the mechanism for adjusting the length of stroke of the slow pack advance;

FIG. 16 is a top view taken along the line 16- 16 showing the locking means for this stroke adjusting mechanism;

FIG. 17 is an electrical diagram of the control for one of the fast pack advance mechanisms;

FIG. 18 is a transverse sectional view through the control cabinet in FIG. 1 of both the cyclic suction and the sequential starting and stopping valves for controlling the suction applied to the four suction-type sheet feeders in FIG. 1;

FIG. 19 is a side elevational View of the sequential valve member with one-half of its associated housing, located at the left in FIG. 18, for controlling the sequential starting and stopping of the suction feeders;

FIG. 20 is a view taken along the line 2020 of FIG. 18 looking outwardly from the center of the control cabinet toward the sheet packs and disclosing the cyclic suction valve for controlling. the suction to all of the suction feeders and synchronized with their common cycle of movement;

FIG. 21 is a side elevational view taken along the line 2121 of the sequential valve and the suction line;

FIG. 22 is a view taken along the line 22--22 of FIG. 18 through the reset and control for the sequential valve;

FIG. 23 is a view from along the line 23--23 of FIG. 20;

FIG. 24 is a sectional view taken along the line 2424 of FIG. 21;

FIG. 25 is a horizontal sectional view taken through the suction manifold, the suction controlling valves and the conduit connecting these valves along the line 25--25 of FIG. 18;

FIG. 26 is a side elevational view, taken in the direction as FIG. 1, of one of the suction-type sheet feeding heads and of the driving mechanism therefor located within the control cabinet;

same.

FIG. 27 is a sectional view taken along the line -2727 of FIG. 26;

FIG. 28 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 28-28 showing the adjustability of the suction elements on a suction-type feeding head;

FIG. 29 is a transverse sectional view through the control cabinet of FIG. '1 looking toward the right thereof from between the suction-type sheet feeders and the sheet gathering mechanism and showing the sheet delivery feeding rolls;

FIG. 30 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 30-30 of FIG. 29;

FIG. 31 is a top plan view of the suction-type sheet feeder, sheet delivery feed rolls, and sheet gathering mechanism;

FIG. 32 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 32-32 of FIG. 31 showing the side guide structure for the sheet gathering conveyor;

FIG. 33 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 33-33 of FIG. 31 showing the vertical, endless conveyor of the gathering mechanism with folded greeting cards therein;

FIG. 34 is a transverse, elevational view looking toward the left from the loading side of the gathering conveyor in FIG. 1;

FIG. 34a is a vertical sectional view taken along line 34a-34a of FIG. 34 through the vertical conveyor, with parts omitted for clarity, but including a stop to prevent interleaving on one side and a conveyor protector strip on the other;

FIG. 35 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 3535 of FIG. 34 through the sheet-gathering conveyor;

FIG. 36 is a vertical, longitudinal central view through the sheet unit gathering means and sheet unit ejection means therefrom, taken in the same direction as FIG. 2;

FIG. 37 is a front end view of the machine looking toward the left at the right end of FIGS. 2 and 36;

FIG. 38 is a vertical, sectional view of the ejector arm taken along the line 3S38 of FIG. 37;

FIG. 39 is a view taken along the line 39-39 of FIG. 36 of one of the actuating links of the ejector arm;

FIG. 40 is a sectional view taken along the line 40-40 of FIG. 36 of another actuating link of the ejector arm; while FIG. 41 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 41-41 of FIG. 36.

Before the mechanism here illustrated is specifically described, it is to be understood that the invention here involved is not limited to the structural details or arrangement of parts here shown since sheet and card handling machines embodying the present invention may take various forms. It is also to be understood that the phraseology or terminology herein employed is for purposes of description and not of limitation since the scope of the present invention is denoted by the appended claims.

This collating machine or sheet gathering machine is especially adapted for collating greeting cards into units or groups for greeting card mixture assontments in which each card in the box or assortment is or can be different so that the purchaser may buy in one box or package, for example, four or more greeting cards with each one being different.

Although greeting cards have many variations in construction, they are all capable of being handled by this machine. One of the greeting cards C, shown in FIG. 5 by way of example, is a sheet folded to form overlapping sheet sections C1, C2 with a fold C3 while the other greeting card C is of single sheet thickness having an edge C3, corresponding to folded edge C3.

However, other greeting cards may be formed with a uniform variation in thickness by a sheet folded into four quarters so that each section is of double thickness. Also, each greeting card may be formed by a plurality of folded sheets stapled together at their folds to form a greeting card with four or more sheet sections instead of the two in the illustrated greeting card C. The sheet may be of thin or thick stock. The sheet section C2 or card C in FIG. 5 may have variations in thickness across the face (in the direction parallel to and/or perpendicular to the fold C3 or edge C3) caused by (l) variations in its area relative to section C1 by having a die cut design forming its periphery remote from fold C3, or (2) by ornamentation C6 or C6 applied in localized areas to the outer face C4 of section C2 or outer face C4 of card C. This ornamentation may take the form of ribbons, bows, flocking, chatons (material resembling a precious stone), etc. formed on or secured to the outer face C4 or C4, such as shown at C6 or C6 in FIG. 5. Hence, this display design, ornamentation, or die cut will cause variation in the thickness of each folded sheet so as to cause problems during sheet pack advancing and sheet feeding. However, the Words sheet or greeting card used herein refers to a single sheet, a sheet folded into overlapping sheet sections of single or multiple thickness, a plurality of folded sheets stapled or otherwise secured together, or a sheet or plurality of connected sheets with or without ornamentation, die cutting or thickness variations since some greeting cards come without these complications and many features of the machine are applicable to ordinary sheets.

This machine has a plurality of sheet advancing and feeding components A of any suitable number, here shown as four in number and vertically arranged in FIG. 1. Each has a horizontally extending feed board B adapted to advance a pack of greeting cards resting thereon by their folds C3 or edges C3, such as shown by pack P in FIG. 5, from the right end toward the left end of the machine in FIG. 1 to a sheet feeder F. All greeting cards in one pack P are similar but cards in different packs are different to provide variety in the mixture. These different greeting cards may vary in thickncss, ornamentation, and other features to make their handling more difficult but to provide a variety of greeting cards in each unit gathered by this machine. Each pack P in FIG. 5 is preferably loaded on the right end with the greeting cards angling upwardly toward The left for ease of loading the machine. As the pack is advanced toward left toward the feeder F, the greeting cards are turned over so as to incline upwardly toward the right and to be in proper position for feed-off. The greeting card has its smooth outer back face C5 or C5 facing upwardly for engagement by the suction-type sheet feeder S in FIG. 5 to provide positive suction engagement on its smooth surface, to prevent harming the flocking or other ornamentation C6, and to gently lift it off the pack I. The suction pick-up position is kept generally uniform even though there may exist variations in the thickness of the card both perpendicular to and/ or parallel to the fold C3 or edge C3 (FIGS. 5 and 28) and variations in the overall card thickness between the four different packs P. All four suction-type feeders in FIG. 1 move together to pick the end card off the feed-off end of the packs P and feed them fold-first into the four vertically arranged feed rolls R. If they were fed fold last (open side first), it would be difficult to feed them through rolls R without damage. These crease the card folds C3 more firmly and feed them into the appropriate sheet unit supporting means U in FIG. 5 of the vertically traveling conveyor of gathering means G in such a manner as to prevent interleaving. The upwardly moving run of gathering means G has four cards in each supporting means U after it travels upwardly past the upper set of feed rolls R in FIG. 1. The gathering means G pulls the cards laterally (both perpendicular and parallel to the fold C3 or edge C3) into a compact unit as they move across the top of the gathering means G in FIG. 1. A card unit ejector or discharger E in FIGS. 1 and 36 ejects individually each unit of four cards by pushing outwardly against the folds C3 or edges C3 to eject them from the gathering means G onto any waiting receiving mechanism with the card ornamentation C6 or C6 facing upwardly for proper display so that if the cards are immediately inserted into boxes, they will be properly oriented. Hence, gathering means G has turned the cards over between pack feed-off and ejection. It should be noted that the cards C always have the folded edge C3 presented where likelihood of damage is the greatest and to permit easy handling: the cards C rest upon this fold on feed board B; are fed fold first by sheet feeder F; and are stopped, supported, pulled together into a compact unit, and ejected by pressure on the fold in the gathering means G. There is no danger to the thin edges of the greeting card C remote from the fold. All cards, when ejected, will be in a compact unit; none will be interleaved; and all designs will face upwardly and in the same direction when the purchaser thumbsthrough the box or other display support so as to make an attractive display.

For clarity, many parts have been omitted in the different views, but at least some of the rigidly interconnected frame members, each having a reference numeral prefix F, are shown throughout. The machine frame F includes a vertical post F1 in FIGS. 1 and 6 supported at the bottom by a suitable base to support the rear of feed boards B, each including parallel side bars F6 and F7 in FIGS. 1, 2 and 6 joined together by front and rear spacers F4 and F5 in FIG. 6. The framework of the control cabinet is formed by a side plate F8 in FIG. 1 comprising a vertical leg F8a secured to one end of a fiat plate FBI; and a vertical post F 8b secured to the other end of the plate in a generally common vertical plane with a vertical post F11 on the drive side of the feed boards B. The top of leg F8a is secured to the lowest bar F6 while posts F10 (a continuation of plate F812) and F11 are secured at spaced apart points to bars F6. Posts F14 and F15 in FIG. 2 are secured at their bottoms to spaced apart top ends of plate F16 generally in a common plane parallel to the other plane a spaced distance farther away from bars P6 with spacers secured between these frame members forming these parallel plans to maintain the spacing and parallel relationship. Side plate F8 also includes vertically extending plates F8'e (FIG. 1) and F87 (FIG. 34) secured together with plate F82 secured to plate FSd so as to be generally coplanar. Vertically extending plates F81 and F20 in FIG. 34 are maintained generally by cross bars F25, F26 and F27; and are located in front of frame side bars F6 and F7 respectively.

FIGS. 2 and 3 disclose the gear drive for the machine. In FIG. 3, a gear 39, driven by a motor or suitable drive shaft 51, meshes with and drives in sequence gears 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49 and 50. Gears 40 and 43 are secured to and carried by shafts 52 and 54 respectively. Gears 41 and 42, 44 and 45, 46 and 47, 48 and 49 are secured to and rotate respectively with shafts 53, 55, 56, and 57. Gear 50 is carried by shaft 58. Shafts 52, 53, 55, 56, 57 and 58 are each rotatably journaled in frame member F16; shaft 54 in frame members F8 and F29; and shafts 53, 55, 56, 57 and 58 in the frame member F8. It has been found that an operative machine results when the gears 39 to 50 inclusive bear the teeth or diameter ratios of four, twelve, twelve, four, twelve, four, three, nine, seven, seven, 9%, and 4 /3. As will be brought out in more detail hereinafter, shafts 52 and 53 actuate the ejector arm in FIG. 36, shaft 54 actuates not only the sequential starting and stopping valve in FIG. 21 but also the vertical conveyor of the sheet gathering means in FIG. 36, shaft'55 is normally provided with a hand wheel to permit manual turnover of the gear train (FIG. 1), shaft 56 of FIG. 4 provides the cyclic operation of the suction valves in FIG. 20 and the sucker head movement in FIG. 26, and shafts 57' and .58 provide respectively slow and fast advance for the sheet packs in FIG. 12. Hence, shafts 52, 53, 56 and 5'7 rotate at the same speed; shaft 58 rotates at twice this speed; and shaft 54 rotates at ,6, this speed. Therefore, the card unit ejector E in FIG. 36, the cyclic suction valve in FIG. 20, the suction type sheet feeders S in FIG.

26, and the slow pack advance pawl on the left in FIG.

9 have the same operation cycle frequency. The vertically traveling conveyor G in FIG. 36 is designed so that it is moved vertically by shaft 54 the distance between two adjacent sheet unit supporting means U in FIG. 5 during an operation cycle. The sequential valve in FIG. 21 is advanced once each third cycle by shaft 54 since there are three supporting means U between adjacent vertically spaced apart feed boards B in FIGS. 1 and 5. The sequential valve, the cyclic suction valve, the suction feeder movement, and the pack advance is performed simultaneously for all four feed boards B in FIG. 1.

Back advancing and sheet positioning for sheet feed-01f} For each feed board B, means is provided for advancing the pack P toward the pick-up position for engagement by suction-type sheet feeder S, as shown in FIG. 5. This pack advancer construction is shown in more detail in FIGS. 5 to 17. Feed board B includes a frame plate member F2 secured to side bars P6 and F7 and having a smooth flat top surface extending along the length of the machine with rollers 66, 67 at opposite ends rotatably supported between frame members F6, F7 with a plurality of laterally spaced apart endless bands68, extending over the rollers and frame member F2 while being kept spaced apart to prevent lateral walking by a plurality of posts F30 projecting down from frame plate F2 in FIG. 7, adapted to be driven thereby so as to provide a conveying means for advancing toward the left in FIG. 5 the sheets of the pack presented thereto in an on-edge position.

The end of the feed board B is formed by L-shaped 7 72b are suitably beveled on the left side in FIG. 30 to raise the cards thereon during pack advance.

Pack guide side walls 59 and 60 in FIG. 6 are adjustably mounted on the frame to accommodate a wide variety of card sizes. Wall 59 in FIG. 6 is generally L-shape in transverse section with the horizontal flange having a downwardly projecting pin at its right end in FIG. 6, selectably insertable in any one of the holes 72d of bottom wall 721; and having an elongated slot 591: at its left end slidably receiving a nut and bolt clamp unit 61 at the distal end of an arm 62 pivoted to frame member F7 at 62a. Wall 60 in FIGS. 6, 12 and 12a has protruding away from the pack horizontally therefrom two racks 61 secured thereto spaced along the length thereof in FIG. 12. At each frame member F6 is secured a post 63 with a horizontally extending rack guide 63a formed thereon. Shaft 64 is rotatably supported in both and has a knurled adjustment knob secured intermediate the ends. One post 63 has two levers 72, '72 pivotally secured thereto at 72a and having respectively lock teeth 72b, 72b spaced apart one-half the pitch of gear 71 so that spring 73, secured at opposite ends to post 63 and extending over the levers to urge them downwardly, can lock the adjustment of side wall 61 by one-half tooth steps.

. Ratchet wheel (one for each feed board B) in FIGS 6, 9 and 14 is secured to the common shaft 69 supporting roller 66 in FIGS. 5 and 6 for rotation about the shaft axis for advancing the pack on the frame by means in FIG. 9 of two pawls, a first pawl 74 and a second pawl 75, for driving the ratchet wheel and providing respectively slow and fast pack advance with each pawl being independently operable with the ratchet wheel 70. The:- 

